Before the next world ending calamity
by Poptasticdanceability
Summary: Short scene between Season 2 and 3. When Wednesday morning comes and you haven't slept since Monday. All reverence to the BBC.


He wondered when it had become serious. He knew when they were fuck-buddying. He knew when they were dating, but there was no moment where everything became very serious. Granted, they weren't as close as they could be; Jack still had a habit of disappearing and making Ianto feel as if he didn't even have a right to ask where the hell he had been. He wondered if that was something he'd ever be able to overcome.

But somewhere it was more than that. They'd invested in each other. Maybe it was a singular event, maybe it was when they came to blows after Tosh died, Jack kept saying how sorry he was. They were clinging to each other and all Ianto could think was that he'd never heard Jack apologise so easily and instantly.

Or maybe it was gradual. Maybe it was the stress of there only being the three of them. Those occasional sleepless nights became a regularity. Crashing out in Jack's bed, too tired to drive home. Having to grab what time they had between disasters, no time to invest in anyone else. The relationship banter creeps into work like never before. Keeping them out of work had failed miserably, but they were never away from work.

Sat up on the sofa, head leaned back, four in the morning. A Wednesday. It was raining outside,that meant it could have been any time of year.

Hand slapping his thigh gently. "Ianto?"

He had almost been asleep. He was sure the Geneva convention allowed him ten minutes.

"What?" Came a very grumpy reply. He didn't open his eyes and other than speaking made no signs of being awake, as if not moving would allow him to pass back into unconsciousness more easily.

"C'mon. I need you."

Opening his eyes, Ianto could see Jack stood over him, shirt and braces, looking exemplary for the 21 hours they'd both been awake for. The only sign he's been up for an extended period of time was the five o'clock shadow on his broad jaw.

"No." Ianto intoned thoughtfully.

There was a brief pause and Jack gave a small breath of incredulous laughter before replying. "No? What'd'ya mean no?"

Breathing in deeply, Ianto rolled his head to look at Jack more clearly. "I mean no. Not yes. I've had enough."

"Resigning?" Jack asked playfully sitting down next to him.

"Yep. End of the line." Ianto uttered in a half mumble, before closing his eyes again.

"You're supposed to write me a letter." Jack reached across to Ianto, his hand hovered for a moment as if to decide what was appropriate and then started tugging the sleep crumpled lapel on his jacket straight.

This opened Ianto's eyes again. He rolled his head in Jacks direction, his temple resting square on the sofa back. "I can't keep working hundred and sixty-eight hour weeks."

It sounded like a joke, but Jack had realised in a moment that he couldn't remember the last time Ianto had gone home. He had wide circles round his eyes and was noticeably pasty. Jack's hand moved to Ianto's cheek.

Jack wasn't smiling. In fact , he looked-sad. And that was cutting.

He reached and put his hand on Jacks arm. Their gazes joined. Jack managed a weak smile. His hand moved up and smoothed at Ianto's hair. "I know," he murmured weakly. "Just-"

Ianto nodded. Things were difficult. It didn't need saying. It wasn't like it was the end of the world and that sort of dire immediate situation that one could collapse into a corner afterwards. It was just an unending stream of potential apocalypse, and Ianto felt that the best of him was being washed away. He nudged across the sofa a few inches, Jacks arms slid around him and he rested his head on his shoulder.

After a quiet moment together Ianto spoke again. "I need time off."

"Anything in mind?" Jack asked, seeing Ianto's eye lids were dropping again.

"I was thinking about a month in Hawaii."

That made Jack smile, a month was outlandish and for some reason he couldn't picture Ianto in Honolulu. "Sorry, too long."

"Fine," he tried again. "Two weeks in Corfu."

Ianto felt a chuckle rise out of Jack. It made him smile. "No can do."

"Week in Spain?" Ianto retorted immediately.

"Nope. Sorry."

"Alright, Isle of Wight for the weekend?"

Jack shook his head. "Day trip to Devon. I'll drive. Currently my only and final offer."

Ianto opened his eyes again, and smiled a little. "That'd be nice." After all, it wasn't the place, it was the company. "I should sleep first."

"Yeah." Jack agreed as Ianto leaned back onto him, his eye lids falling again. Jack let him sleep for an hour before they dealt with the next world ending calamity.


End file.
